The invention relates generally to machines for loading side-loaded tubular cartons such as beverage cartons, and more particularly to a mechanism for stabilizing the tops of an array of containers such as beverage cans as the containers are loaded into a side-loaded carton.
One known method of loading containers such as beverage cans into a side-loaded carton is to push a group of the containers into an open end of the carton. The group of containers generally consists of at least one level of an array of containers (for example a 1.times.3, 3.times.4, or 4.times.4 array) or multiple tiers of arrays. Cartons and corresponding groups of containers to be loaded normally travel along side by side on respective parallel synchronized conveyors. Loading is performed as the cartons and groups of containers travel together side by side. Containers to be side-loaded are arranged in groups that are optimally accommodated by the carton. When loading a carton in the manner described above it is important that the individual containers of the group being loaded retain established positions in their group. If the containers shift position, tilt or topple while being loaded the loading process will be interrupted. The possibility of containers shifting position, tilting or toppling is increased when multiple tiers are being loaded. Containers of the uppermost tier of a multiple-tier grouping, or the lone level of a single-stack grouping, are uncovered and thus are most likely to shift position, tilt or topple because their movement is not inhibited by the weight of a higher tier of containers. What is needed is a means for inhibiting undesirable movement of containers of an uncovered array of a group of containers being loaded into a carton.